Henderson libraries to be closed on Sundays

At a public library in Henderson, you can check out the Thomas Harris thriller "Black Sunday," the Oliver Stone football movie "Any Given Sunday" or a Monkees album featuring "Pleasant Valley Sunday."

Starting Feb. 1, however, you won't be able to do any of that on a Sunday. Citing some of the same revenue problems afflicting public entities across Nevada, Henderson's four libraries have announced plans to close on Sundays for the foreseeable future.

Library Director Thomas Fay said the decision came after almost a year of discussion by administrators and library district board members, who settled on Sunday because the libraries are open for only four hours on that day anyway.

"Nobody likes this," said Fay, who has worked in libraries for the past 25 years. "This is probably the hardest decision I've had to make in my career."

The move was made to save money and ensure adequate staffing on the six days the libraries will remain open. The library district is staring at a $600,000 shortfall, which represents about 7 percent of an annual operating budget of $9 million. That money is used to pay about 100 employees and operate four branches, a bookmobile and a school outreach program.

The libraries are funded through a separate taxing district, created in 1956, that gets about 65 percent of its money from property taxes and the rest from sales taxes, motor vehicle taxes and various special use fees.

Revenues have been down since about the middle of the past fiscal year, which ended June 30, Fay said.

"It's coming from all directions. The biggest hit in the last five to seven months has been in property taxes," he said.

The decline in revenue has come amid an increase in visitor volume at Henderson's libraries. The district has seen its volume increase by more than 13 percent in the past year and more than double during the past five years.

The district's collection includes about 420,000 books, movies, compact discs and other items. The four libraries logged more than 1 million checkouts for the first time during the fiscal year ending June 30.

Fay expects that number to top 1.2 million this year.

The district's number of active cardholders, meanwhile, recently topped 120,000 and is growing at a rate of about 20,000 a year.

Some of that is because of population growth; some of it is a result of the same economic slump that is sapping the district's revenue.

It's an impact of a financial downturn that few people think about, Fay said: When people have less disposable income to spend on books, music and movies, libraries tend to get busier.

Fay said visitor volume was taken into consideration during discussions about the budget shortfall, but Sunday ultimately was picked because it seemed like the best way to minimize the impact on customers.

"(Sunday) is busy for a four-hour day, but our busiest day, believe it or not, is Tuesday," Fay said. "I can't really tell you why that is, but Tuesday is one of our busiest days every week."

The library district just began publicizing the decision to close on Sundays. The response from the public has been mild so far, Fay said.

"No one has been screaming or going crazy. I think people understand it."

That certainly seemed to be the case at the Paseo Verde Library on Friday afternoon.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, nursing student Brandi Dimas shrugged off the change as she walked to her car with an armload of books and CDs. Though she goes to the library several times a week -- including the occasional Sunday -- to look for world music and use the Internet, she said she doesn't mind the reduced hours.

"There's six other days in the week," Dimas said.

Cheryl Persson said she makes weekly visits to the Paseo Verde branch, usually with her grandchildren in tow.

And though she is almost never there on Sundays, she said she would prefer to see the library district find some other way to cut costs.

"I just hate to see it closed on Sunday because so many times that's when families can come out," she said. "Las Vegas is a 24-7 town. You get used to the 24-hour service."

Thanks to the Internet, Fay said, some library amenities are always available, even on Sundays.

From the district's Web site, cardholders can download some audio and video files, receive online tutoring, and even get reference questions answered using the 24-hour "Ask a Librarian" e-mail service.

For those who don't have Internet access and want to check something out on a Sunday after Feb. 1, Henderson cards are accepted at any public library across the state. Fay said all you have to do is register your card there and be sure to return any materials you check out to the same branch.

At present, the Henderson district has no immediate plans to float a ballot initiative for more tax money, Fay said.

The district's only expansion plans involve the Green Valley Library, which Henderson is slated to take over from the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District in January 2009.

Until then, that branch at Sunset Road and Green Valley Parkway will remain open as scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0350.